Focus can be difficult. There are so many welcome and unwelcome distractions in our world. If you don't know your vision, purpose, and values, the challenge is even greater. Start defining them so your decision-making can get easier. Next list an … [Read more...]
Organize Your Thoughts
Some people are great at creating lists. They have impressive lists. Accomplishing tasks, a little less so. Some people are decisive and action oriented. They get lots of things done fast, and then they redo a lot of things faster. Some people … [Read more...]
Decide How You are Going to Lead
A good number of leadership problems I see come about because the leader has never given any thought to the question, “How are you going to lead?” Many are dumbfounded. Though to be fair, if you ask a writer, “How are you going to write?” there … [Read more...]
Leadership Maintenance
Now and then you need to take a look under the leadership hood and make sure things are running well. Start by inspecting your biggest goal. Run a self-diagnosis of six systems: Your Operating Principle - What you are trying to achieve? … [Read more...]
Lousy Leadership is Scary
Lousy leadership is scary because it is so prevalent in our lives, and no one is fully immune from it. New and established managers both make errors because of impatience, or fear, or poor judgment. These mistakes frequently most hurt the people … [Read more...]
Avoiding Burnout
I once worked with an organization where people started vanishing. Some of it was planned. A few moved on to bigger and better things. The vast majority, however, were being laid off, one at a time, so for a while, it was drip, drip, drip. During … [Read more...]
You goofed. Now what?
Candidly, you won't see this properly demonstrated by people in the public eye too often. On the other hand, exceptional leaders know how, when, and why to apologize. Follow the six steps below to stand out as a better leader who shows respect and … [Read more...]
No, Your Customers Don’t All Love You
Whenever I hear an entrepreneur or executive describe how much their customers love them, I cringe. I am reminded of a recent research study that discovered, based on reciprocity, we have far few friends than we think we do. In fact, about half as … [Read more...]
Cultivating Success
Last week I had a delightful discussion with a colleague about our individual writing processes. As we talked between sips of coffee, it became clear that we had a mutual tendency to make things more complex than they have to be. I hastily narrowed … [Read more...]
10 Tips to Manage Better and Lead Well
Here's a special delivery for you today. 1. You become what you think about most often. 2. Continually upgrade your attitude. 3. Exercise your brain. 4. Learn to seize opportunities. 5. Invest in your personal … [Read more...]
Stop Wasting Your Talent
A case for your personal and professional development The average person spends more time and money on activities that contribute to their personal detriment than to their personal development. Luckily, you are not average. You are a … [Read more...]
Psst, There’s No “Secret Sauce” to Better Leadership
Do you remember the business environment in 2008? It was a big transition year, with a presidential election filled with uncertainty and the financial markets beginning to collapse. Layoffs started ramping up, and newly formed consultants flooded the … [Read more...]
Why Good Leaders Must Disrupt, Dismantle and Destroy the Practice of Lousy Leadership
As a culture, we need to provide better leadership development and accountability to bolster the essential skills and effectiveness of established and future leaders. Too many lousy leaders are being excused, hidden behind culture, tradition, ego, … [Read more...]
What Do I Give As A Leader?
Part Three of a series Effective leaders know it's not about them; it's about those they lead. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills. Below are the final ten … [Read more...]
How Can I Lead Better?
Part Two of a series As an effective leader you are asking yourself that question on a regular basis. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills. Below are ten more statements … [Read more...]
Find 60 Ways to Get Your It Together
Modern leaders and managers live with uncertainty. The difference is, the uncertainty does not immobilize them, it emboldens them. The tools at their disposal are no different from those anyone else has access to. It is their brain and the deliberate … [Read more...]
Fathers and Leadership
For Father’s Day, I’m posting four essays that I’ve written over the years about leadership and ways my father and grandfathers have influenced me. It is an embarrassingly insignificantly small thank you to them, and a reminder to you, that in some … [Read more...]
How Can I Become a Better Leader?
Part One of a series If you are a leader, I hope you are asking yourself that question on a regular basis. If not, I would question your judgment and suggest you might be more powerful and effective as an individual contributor. This series is … [Read more...]
How to Derail Your Career
Five sadly common ways promising managers limit their potential. Betraying Personal Trust As a manager, you will find opportunities to create and strengthen the relationship with your direct reports or your peers. Sometimes this dynamic … [Read more...]
What Skills Should I Improve?
Regardless of your occupation, you should always be working on improving your skills. Choosing not to would be reckless and invite career derailment. When you work for an organization, there's no shortage of feedback loops telling you what to … [Read more...]
Background Work to Start Planning Your Career, No Matter Where in Your Career You Are
It is graduation season, and whether you are finishing off college, high school, or reminiscing about when you did, those many years ago, it is a good time to think about where you want to go next. How are you going to spend your time … [Read more...]
In Which One of These Five Areas Could You Lead Better?
If leadership is the ability to influence the behavior of others. Leadership skill could be defined behaviorally by a range of activities grouped loosely into the following categories: Initiating and Maintaining action Directing and … [Read more...]
Your Business Might Have a Code of Conduct, But Do You?
I believe busy professionals should have a personal compass to follow. It does not need to be something as grand as a manifesto, though I do think you should spend time creating one for yourself because it is important to document what you believe in … [Read more...]
Still Struggling to Find your Passion? Get Angry.
I’ve been posting quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you’re on that platform, go ahead and follow me. If not, listen to a simple thought and challenge to help you lead better. Stop struggling to … [Read more...]
How to Find the Best Reward and Recognition for People
I’m starting to post quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you’re there I hope you’ll dip your toes in. If not, listen below. Not everyone loves a plaque for recognition. For some, that's firewood. … [Read more...]
Here’s a challenge. Compliment people today. Sincerely.
I’m starting to post quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you’re there I hope you’ll dip your toes in. If not, listen below. Are you getting too much thanks and appreciation for the things you do? … [Read more...]
How Are You Planning Your Week?
I'm starting to post quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you're there I hope you'll dip your toes in. If not, listen below. … [Read more...]
How to Reflect: “Huh? No Duh. A-ha!”
Busy professionals are notorious for not making time to reflect on their activities. “Too busy,” they say. Which is an ineffective excuse. Periodically take stock of your current level of awareness to learn what you are doing, or could be … [Read more...]
8 Ways Working with Karl Bimshas Consulting Can Make you Better
1. Know Yourself Better Choose from several assessments like DISC, the most widely used behavior profiling tool of its kind, supported by decades of research and continuous validation. (Consider a 4-pack) or Leadership 31, from Karl Bimshas … [Read more...]
4 Ways to be Less of a Fool and More of a Leader
Social media is awash in manager versus boss memes and ideal leadership infographics. Maybe they make you feel good for a little while because you use them as a checklist when you're not getting the recognition you deserve. You convince yourself that … [Read more...]
4 Triggers for Workplace Dysfunction
There are four common triggers I regularly see playing out in the workplace. Yes, there are plenty of others, but these four are prevalent. Ineffective Communication Ego Protection Fear of Uncertainty Rewarding Off Purpose You can … [Read more...]
Deconstructing Indecision
People regularly underestimate the importance of knowing their values and having a purpose or personal mission to follow. To me, these are foundational and if they are not solid, or if you are tentative about them, then everything that follows will … [Read more...]
Managing Disappointment
Fear of disappointment is debilitating and corrosive to living the life you want. The potential for external disappointment can be especially devastating when it comes from a loved one. You may initially act with some defiance, but that is … [Read more...]
Maybe You Didn’t Achieve Your Goals Because They Sucked
As someone who works on leadership development and accountability, it is my job to call out BS and to help align what people say they want with what they do. I do not fall for mediocrity trying to disguise itself as effort. Clients do not … [Read more...]
10 Steps to a Better Personal Plan
During this last month of the year, I am going to be sharing topics around goal-setting and building a useful personal plan. My ardent desire is to help as many people as possible have a great year pursuing their fulfilling goals, so please share … [Read more...]
Too Poor to Afford Cheap Things
I spent time with my Dad on Cape Cod over the last couple of weeks, and somehow we got to talking about furniture. I shared my dismay over the quality of mine back home. Like many, I have accumulated a wide array of self-assembly bookshelves and … [Read more...]
Hire a New Boss
Many managers are under appreciated. They endure direct reports endlessly complaining about everything from salary to the temperature of the office. From above, there is the piling on of more demands, fewer resources and pressure to achieve random … [Read more...]
Blunt Leadership Essays
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Blunt Leadership Essays Leadership Development Consultant, Karl Bimshas releases a second collection of leadership essays, "So, I've Been Thinking Some More; Reflections on Leadership." SAN DIEGO, CA - September 8, … [Read more...]
Rule of Three
I have a personal operating principle I call my rule of threes. I am sure, based on my background, that it is deeply influenced by the writing principle of the same name. omne trium perfectum The human mind likes sets of three. Three is more … [Read more...]
Growing Confidence and Support
We are each ultimately responsible for our level of confidence and support on any given task in our lives. Be it at home, work, or anywhere else. Too often we take our feelings for granted and accept them without challenging them. This can be a … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 7/26/15
Stop Planning Plans organize your thoughts and resources. They are a half step better than an idea. Ideas and plans are the beginning, and you are spending way too much time on them. If you secretly enjoy brainstorming and planning, then you … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 6/28/15
Lead Like You Mean It Leadership is not a passive activity. Every decision gets made, not deferred. Leaders do not scroll through their emails in the morning and react to an insomniacs musings. Leaders set the agenda, draw the picture of … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 6/21/15
You can not invest all your resources in everything. You will not solve every problem at once. Determine what you can afford and invest it in the now, the new, and the next. Now is the current reality. New is what has just arrived, but you … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 6/1/15
Versatility is not a trait of effective leadership; it is a necessity. Your preference for a particular style (autocratic, collaborative, laissez-faire or another) doesn't mean the exclusion of all others. When you look at your wardrobe, you … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 5/3/15
When a problem lingers, it's because what usually works for you isn't working anymore. When the thing you could do to solve it rests outside your comfort zone, you procrastinate. If what you typically do isn't working, and what you believe you … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 4/26/15
Recognize People Along the Way Those who wait for perfection before saying, bravo are a bore. They sarcastically ask, “Am I supposed to hand out a cookie every time someone does their job?” Interesting, coming from a person whose whole world … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 4/19/15
Leaders make decisions. Some are easy, some are difficult; none are delayed without a valid reason. If you are having trouble making a decision, review your values. When you are clear about what's important, most of your decisions are … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 4/12/15
Leadership starts with you. If you are having trouble following your personal vision, staying on purpose, or taking disciplined and specific action to meet your goals, you are making it difficult for others to want to follow you. Get your inner … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 4/5/15
Reduce your costs per hour. This has nothing to do with the rate you earn hourly (annual income divided by 2,080 -- or whatever denominator you choose). It has to do with how much it takes to sustain your current lifestyle. Think of it as your … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 3/29/15
Commitments have lost their weight. Making a commitment used to mean being dedicated to a cause or action -- no matter what. Good leaders keep that definition while far too many others now treat a commitment as an obligation laced with dread. It … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 3/22/15
Prepare for success ahead of time. Too many people wait for success before they act. Leaders expect success and treat it like an expected houseguest. They know the visit may be short, but they still prepare a space prior to arrival. What actions … [Read more...]
Reflections on Leadership 3/15/15
Leadership of any kind requires a vision for the future. This week, be sure you stay on track by revisiting your picture of success. Take actions that support your great goal, and steer clear of temptations that can detract from your … [Read more...]